Review: LG G2 for Verizon Wireless

LG was very excited to talk about the G2's 5.2-inch full HD display when it debuted the device in August. It said the extra 0.2 inches made a huge difference in usability when compared to the Samsung GS4, for example, which has a 5.0-inch screen. Whatever. It's slightly bigger. The 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD screen is quite beautiful to behold. It is bright, sharp, and colorful. I noticed only a little brightness drop-off when the phone is tilted side-to-side and there's no blue-shift. It can be used outdoors, but you need to crank up the brightness a bit, especially if you're planning to take some pictures. Full HD screens continue to be awesome, and the G2's is another good example or how far phones have come in the last few years.

Signal

The G2 performed very well on Verizon's network. The G2 never dropped Verizon's LTE signal, nor did it ever lose the connection entirely. It remained firmly attached to The Network no matter where I took it, even in weak coverage areas. Phone calls connected quickly on the first attempt, and never dropped. Data performance was incredibly fast over Verizon's LTE network.

Sound

Sound quality of calls bordered on excellent. Calls were crystal clear through the G2's earpiece. They were also significantly loud. You can set the volume between ½ and ⅔ and still hear calls quite well. Using it at full volume means you be able to hear calls in very noisy places, such as city streets or bars during happy hour. The speakerphone isn't as impressive in terms of quality, but it is still very good. The volume is excellent, and permits calls in noisy homes or offices. People with whom I spoke through the G2 said I sounded warm and nearby. Ringers and alerts were plenty loud, and the haptic feedback was strong. One note: LG managed to find an email alert that's more annoying than Verizon's "DRRRROOOIIDDDD" alert. LG got the Vienna Boys Choir to sing "Life Is Good!" in their little high-pitched voices, and that's the email alert. I found it very annoying.

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Battery

The G2 offers acceptable battery life. It lasts a full day, despite the bright screen and quad-core processor. For a big phone with lots of features, it's nice to see a solid, waking day of battery life. Don't expect it to last much more than that, though. It'll konk out overnight if you forget to plug it in